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| CITY OF BALTIMORE IS BEING PRAISED FOR PEACEFUL PROTESTS |
....as seen through my eyes!
By: Jacqueline E Hughes
I believe that one of the most difficult things to achieve as an adult is the act of finding your voice within this world, especially when so many others are attempting to drown out your voice with their own.
To find one’s voice may be discovering your own distinctive style or vision of artistic expression. Expressing yourself within written words that can be enjoyed and appreciated by others may mean that you have found your voice as a writer. The joy of capturing selective moments in life by understanding the importance of light, reflection, angles, and shadows is taking the time to find your voice by perfecting the optimum use of a camera lens via photography. Many budding musical artists, writers attempt to find their voices by flocking to Nashville in the hope of redefining their lives and providing themselves with an inspirational key to uncovering personal music potential.
Let’s say that a shocking or frightening experience has shaken you to the core and it may take time for you to regain the ability to speak, find your voice, once again.
Losing my voice during public recitation or speaking, even within smaller groups, because of extreme nervousness, will always plague me to a certain degree; at least until I feel more confident and comfortable within a given situation. You would think that at my age I would have outgrown this common fear years ago. Unfortunately, I have not. Maybe it’s my way of keeping myself on my toes, however, it can become quite infuriating at times.
This past Tuesday, yet another primary election day, more and more people were fighting to retain their voices by overpowering the blatant attempts of voter suppression that funneled voters through reduced numbers of polling places and locked the doors right at 6:00 o’clock. Pounding on the glass windows and doors, Kentucky voters were granted an additional half hour extension by a judge due to the pleas made by Charles Booker and Amy McGrath, the two Democratic Senatorial primary candidates.
Not only are voters working on finding their voices in a crazy, unlawful attempt at shutting down their Constitutional right to vote, but the candidates themselves are exercising a strong youthful attempt at finding their own voices within a sea of cheap Twitter endorsements. Madison Cawthorn, a 24-year-old (turning 25 in August) political newcomer, defeated Lynda Bennett, a realtor and President Trump's endorsed candidate, in the North Carolina GOP congressional primary for the seat vacated by the President's chief of staff, Mark Meadows.
If elected in November, Cawthorn would become the youngest member in Congress, a title currently held by Democratic Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez of New York, now 30-years-old, who won on Tuesday and looks set to get some new progressive backup in New York’s congressional delegation next year. Youthful energy and ideas are flowing into Washington D.C. with each election, hopefully eradicating, or at least staunching, old ideas and bringing in new voices for bi-partisan collaboration in the future.
It’s time to talk Black Lives Matter, BLM, and what the importance of this movement means to all of us now that the White choke-hold on Black lives has reached a new level of notoriety and the Black communities are finding their voices in mass numbers. The work of deep-seated, sustainable change remains the hardest work there is. Systemic racism for centuries has, indeed, left an indelible mark on our society. I deeply believe that we must make the best of this opportunity, afforded us by the unabashed killing of a black man, to find our voices and fight for the rights of people of all races, colors, and with the ideals brought forth by the birth of this nation.
We are moving forward and turning our baby steps into giant ones as more people are working together and marching peacefully forward in a joint, intellectual effort towards opening huge cracks in the wall that surrounds Blacks and the history of slavery in this country. For way too many people...it can be eye opening. Unfortunately, history textbooks are diluted and weak when it comes to depicting an accurate history of minority groups that have suffered the loss of identity and land, respect and life, along with their inalienable rights at the hands of our (their) own government.
Are we looking at a new era of progress? Or, will we be disappointed by the lack of empathy for others, once again? No one knows for sure. However, this time around feels different to me; more substantial, calculated, and hopeful with each peaceful protest march in so many cities and small towns across the country and with each verbal dispute against brute police force and acts of brutality, change is in the air.
People are finding their own voice in 2020. We’re not hiding behind the shortcomings of our politicians or bypassing important opportunities to speak our hearts and minds. The movement to change what is wrong and make it right has definitely begun and I, for one, am looking forward to it with all the excitement and energy I can muster.
Please stay safe. Stay healthy. Wear your mask in public. Recognize the truth.
Copyright © 2020 by Jacqueline E Hughes
All rights reserved
